Vanishing Glass
by RSTUV
Summary: Harry's visit to the zoo in Book 1 from the perspective of the Snake


Pudgy faces pressed against the glass. Every day the same routine, the monotony only broken by the monkeys who came to give me thawed bunny rabbits. So long had I been in this cage that I no longer remembered individual faces they all blurred into one irritating monkey face. I remembered his face though, the skinny, pale, black haired monkey. I remembered his words; hard to forget the first time you have a conversation with monkey. I owe that one quite a lot….

I had been "sleeping" in my habitat, as usual. Ignoring the incessant tapping on the glass. It was not the first time some hairless monkey had tried to make me move. I found the less I moved the faster they left. This one however, was annoyingly persistent. Monkeys were interesting creatures, only this brave when a walls of glass separated us. The ones that come into my prison were never this arrogant. Then it started making these awful whining noises. Soon the whining was accompanied by more rapping. What I wouldn't give to be free of this place. To be home. The home I only saw in the picture on the little placard in front of my glass prison.

The banging suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes to peek. And saw that the monkey was still there. _No this couldn't be the same monkey,_ I realized. This monkey was completely different then all the others. It was just standing there calmly staring at me with what looked like understanding. I rose up, wanted to get a better look at it. Crooked taped glasses on it's thin face, rumpled enormous clothes cloaked it's frame. _Definitely not much of a meal, looks like skin and bones._ When I could look it in the eyes I stopped. Green, sad, trapped, old eyes. It didn't fit with what I knew about monkeys. It's _face shape and size, thin though it was, all pointed to monkey child. Everything but the eyes. Monkey child eyes were supposed to be impatient and angry, or happy and thrilled eyes. Hmmmm a kindred sole._ Wanting to get a different reaction from the monkey, I winked.

The it's eyes became enormous as he stared at me. It moved to see if anyone was watching and then, to my delight, winked back.

I looked around as well, monkeys traveled in packs and I wanted to make sure this one's was thoroughly out of the way. The other monkeys were all distracted banging on the glass of other enclosures. I realized they must have been the ones making all the noise. Satisfied the others were sufficiently busy, I gave the monkey my "I get this all the time" look. And then to my shock the it, quite clearly, replied.

"I know, it must be really annoying." It was my turn to stare. _How could this be? How could I understand it?_ I wondered I nodded my head, just to keep the monkey talking. I wanted to be sure.

"Where do you come from anyway?" it asked. _This is crazy how is this possible_. I thought. I lift my tail to point at the little sign outside my cage. I had seen enough monkeys look at to know it had my information on it. This monkey seemed to understand what I meant. It glanced over at the sign.

"Was it nice there?" It asked. I sighed sadly, jabbing my tail at the sign again

"Oh, I see – so you've never been to Brazil." I moved my head to indicate "no."

At that moment there was a loud unintelligible screech from the other monkeys. I realized then, _it must be something this monkey is doing if I still can't understand the other ones_. The other monkeys came waddling back. A particularly chubby one hit the black haired monkey in the ribs making him fall onto the floor. I am not to sure what happened then but the next thing I knew the glass between the cage had vanished and the two hairless screeching monkeys had fallen into my prison. I did not pause to question it, or to eat the monkeys. The rest of the monkeys in the building started screeching louder then I had ever heard. I slid down and out of my once prison onto the cool tiled floor. I had no clue where I should head, but one thing I knew for sure, I was not going back into that cage.

I slid pass the black-haired monkey, still on the floor, and realized that I should thank it. It was now clear that it was one of those monkeys with strange powers, I had seen one of them in here before, years back, taking samples of some of the poisonous fangs.

"Brazil, here I come… Thankssss, amigo." I hissed.


End file.
